Hello all! I haven't been around much recently, mostly due to working three jobs, but I missed you guys, so I'm making an effort to come back :] I took my handsome man, Demon, to a schooling combined test a few weeks ago and figured it would be a good time to ask for critique. I don't have any pictures other than the ones taken professionally, so I'm just going to post the link to the set. If that's not okay, please take this down immediately, and I do apologize!

We were, unfortunately, disqualified in the jumping ring due to refusals but had a very nice dressage test considering it was his first. He's come along way in less than a year. Last fall all he knew how to do was spin in very sloppy circles (he came from a man who did "reining" on him), so I think he's made progress. Lol. I will be purchasing a flash for him after seeing these pictures!

Anyway, enough rambling, please critique both him and myself. I have a long list of things that we need to work on, but please, give me more :]

Also, I found this picture on my computer. Not the best, but I figured I'd throw it in.

I won't be able to help with critique, But those pictures are great! You two look really good together, and the photographer did a very nice job.

xeventer17

06-09-2012 09:57 PM

Thanks! I thought she did a good job too. We're working on becoming more of a team, we've only been together for a few months and before that he was only really ridden by one girl. I'm leasing him now, but my plan is to buy him this fall if I feel like we've made good progress over the summer.

kaykat31

06-10-2012 01:51 PM

Hi there! First off, let me just say your horse is precious & I applaud you for training him through a discipline change, I know how difficult it can be at times(: but it all pays off in the end! Your non-showing picture, I really like your straight back & how you have your shoulders lifted, very good job! If you could just put alittle more weight into your heels, as your leg has slipped backed slightly, and make sure you wrap around him with your lower calf, not pinching with your knee. I would also like to see your crest release slightly longer (although I understand if he was possibly being fast that day & you needed the short release)and make sure you keep your elbows in. As for your horse, I would like to see him rock back onto his haunches more before pushing off over the fence. To teach this technique, I would alot with putting a pole about 6 feet out from the fence, or set up a series of bounces & a 1 or 2 stride in a gymnastic. I also opt into taking the shorter & deeper distance when I have the option to work on rocking back. In your show pictures, you once again have a lovely back & upperbody. Make sure you keep your elbows bent & in next to your ribcage, your hands up slightly higher and your thumbs up. As for your horse, just keep on bending & suppling, to try to get him to accept the bit and round up a bit, and move from his haunches. I suggest lots of turns on the forehands and haunches & simply bend for 3 steps, then release pressure for 3, and repeat. Lovely job & good luck in the future! (:

caseymyhorserocks

06-10-2012 02:52 PM

You seem quite tense, especially throughout your arms and your back which is causing your horse to turn upside down. Another part of this is that you are leaning a little bit to far forward. Since your legs are in a good position, bring up one of the photos of you riding, grab a ruler or a straight edge, and hold it to the screen so your heel and your hips line up. See how much your shoulders point forward?

I would also like to see your hands moving with the horse a little bit, since your arms are stiff your horse is turning inside out (in most of the photos) probably due to a mixture of your tense arms and possibly hasn't been trained to collect himself. If you watch horses move with a very loose rein or out in the pasture, you will see their head bob and move forward with every movement as well as a little bit of moving up and down. If you ride without moving your hands with your horse, he can not balance himself by using his head and neck, which leads to not so fluid gaits, and him either trying to balance by pulling on the reins or lifting his head.

When your horse is walking, let your reins out loose and put your hands on his neck and feel it moving. Now, what you want to do is to try to mimic that movement with your hands as you are walking without putting them on his neck and try to do this at other gaits. Moving your hands with your horse is especially important at the walk and canter.

Like I said, you have a great leg and you look up. Just be sure not to lock up your arms or lean to far forward :wink: ETA: I based this all on the show pictures, just to let you know.